Manuel Uthayachandra, the President of the Association of families who are in search of those who were disappeared in Mannar District, stated that they oppose the actions of converting some of the navy camps and military camps as the permanent military camps since skeletal remains may be found at the concentration camps where interrogations happened during the war.
Following are further stated by her;
Occupying Sri Lankan military has still been occupying the lands of the people for their temporary camps though about 10 years passed since the war came to an end.
Meanwhile, actions are being taken to convert some of the temporary military and navy camps as the permanent camps while we are in search of our children who were disappeared.
Where are our loved ones who were disappeared? How many thousands of skeletons will be found if those temporary camps become as the permanent military camps?
That is why; they state indirectly that they have to occupy those lands. Therefore, we demand that these lands should not be provided to the military to set up their permanent camps.
In addition, the occupying Sri Lankan military set up a camp at the place where People’s Bank was located before in the Central part of Mannar town. This camp, Sunny Village Navy Camp and Pallimunai Navy Camp were the camps where interrogations happened during the wartime. We suspect that skeletons may be found from these camps also.
Therefore, these lands should not be provided to either the army or the navy. If these lands are given to them, they would set up permanent camps. Then, we will not be provided the justice.
Therefore, public organizations should get together to make attempts in stopping this.
